Peregian Springs State School students’ memories of their touch and go brush with bushfire last year will soon be replaced by the beaming face of rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston.
The upcoming visit from JT is fitting reward for Mr Dornauf’s Year 4 class being selected as the winner of this year’s Get Ready Queensland Schools Competition.
As the Get Ready Queensland Ambassador JT said he was looking forward to visiting Peregian Springs and seeing the students’ completed activities.
“The Peregian Springs students and their families experienced first-hand last year the impact natural disasters can have when their school was closed due to the threat of fast-moving bushfires,” JT said.
“If these students have been able to learn something from this competition, and share that knowledge with their families, then we will all be better off next time a disaster strikes.
“I’m really passionate about disaster preparation and I can’t wait to find out how the students are getting ready,” he said.
JT said disasters can develop quickly and often people don’t have much time before they need to act.
“I’ve spoken to students from all over Queensland and while the disasters they face may be different, the importance of being prepared is the same,” he said.
Deputy Premier and Minister for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Steven Miles said that Peregian Springs State School had won the lucky draw in this inaugural competition.
“The schools competition is a great initiative by the Get Ready Queensland program aimed at encouraging meaningful conversations about preparing for severe weather before disasters strike,” Mr Miles said.
“Almost 100 classes from schools across Queensland participated in the competition, learning about a range of preparedness activities including packing a Grab’n’Go bag, preparing a household emergency plan and what goes into a Pet Emergency Kit.